Ohana Means Family
by Darling Pretty
Summary: When Mary Poppins arrives in Hawaii, she's prepared to fix the newly orphaned Pelekai sisters. She never expected that they might fix her. Mary/Bert.
1. Pudge Controls The Weather

**So this came about due to a very long, late night conversation my friend Keiliy and I had outside of my house over the summer, where we discussed what Mary Poppins relationship would be with a number of Disney characters. Lilo in particular stuck with me. And here we are.**

**As always, I own nothing.**

* * *

By the time Mary Poppins lands in front of the little raised house, she has already removed her coat and what had once been a crisp bowtie now hangs limply, dangling from her neck. She's unaccustomed to this climate—London is never so hot and sticky.

She decides to discard the fabric for the bow completely. It's best to give a clean first impression. She raises her hand and raps on the door.

A girl, only around twenty, opens the door. Her eyes are red and puffy, but her clothes are fairly neat and she's pretty. "Can I help you?" she asks, staring at Mary with tired eyes.

"You are Nani Pelekai, I presume?"

"Yes…" Nani says skeptically.

"I'm Mary Poppins. May I come in?"

"Uh, yes…?" Nani steps aside slowly, looking at Mary's carpetbag and umbrella.

"I was a friend of your parents." It's a lie, of course, but she needs a way to get into the house.

Nani studies her. "They never mentioned a…"

"Mary Poppins," she fills in perfunctorily. "I knew your mother from school. Now, if you'll direct me to a place I might store my bag, I'll see your little sister and begin work in the kitchen."

"Kitchen?" Nani repeats faintly.

"For your guests tomorrow," Mary says gently. "You're going to need to feed them."

"I didn't even think…" the Hawaiian girl realizes.

"That's why I'm here. Now why don't go you check on your little sister?"

Nani does as suggested and Mary ties an apron around her waist, looking around the messy house. Yes, these girls definitely need her aid.

0ooo0

"Who are you?"

Mary turns when she hears the suspicious little voice. "I'm Mary Poppins. You must be Lilo."

"I need peanut butter," Lilo announces. Mary frowns, but lets the impoliteness slide; after all, the little girl has just lost both of her parents.

"Would you like a sandwich?"

"It's for Pudge. I have to make Pudge a sandwich."

"And Pudge is?"

"A fish. Do we have peanut butter?"

Mary has long since learned to not question the whims of small children. Things that might not make a lick of sense to her are perfectly logical and reasonable to them. Trying to understand will just cause an unnecessary headache. She snaps and the peanut butter flies from the cabinet. The little girl looks slightly impressed and Mary winks.

"Are you a mutant? Are you from another planet? That'd be cool."

Mary laughs. "Not quite anything so interesting as that. I'm from London in England."

Lilo's face falls. "Oh. An alien would be cooler."

"Well, I'm sorry to have disappointed you, but there's nothing for it, I'm afraid."

"Can I have a knife?"

"Here, let me help you with that," Mary offers, beginning to spread the peanut butter on an end piece of the loaf.

"Noooooo!" Lilo begins to whine. Mary whips around and glares at the five-year-old. She will _not _tolerate such impolite behavior! "You're doing it wrong," Lilo explains. "Pudge doesn't like crust! You can't just give him a crusty piece of bread! He won't like it and then he'll be mad!"

Mary kneels, peering at the girl with that special gaze of hers, the one that makes children feel as if she's treating them as an equal, but an equal she expects to behave. "Lilo, why is this so important to you?" she asks, careful not to belittle the little girl's feelings.

"Pudge controls the weather."

Knowing what she does, Mary feels her heart break a little. "Oh, I see. Well then, we certainly mustn't disappoint him," she says. "Come help me make the sandwich. How does Pudge feel about jam?"

Once the sandwich is made, Mary walks down to the beach with Lilo and watches carefully as the little girl delivers it. She can see Lilo is already a very strong swimmer, but Mary isn't one to leave things to chance. Once she's out of the water, Mary kneels down and wraps her up in a towel, beginning to dry her off gently.

"My mom said that believing in something is better than believing in nothing," Lilo says suddenly. "That's why we brung Pudge sandwiches."

"Brought," Mary corrects, not looking up from her task. "And your mother was a very wise woman."

"But I don't believe in anything but Pudge. Not even heaven."

"Well, believing in Pudge is a good start," she replies. "And well begun is half done. Perhaps one day you can start believing in something beyond Pudge."

Lilo looks at her like she might be onto something, but then shakes her head and runs back towards the house. Mary sighs, gathers up the towel that Lilo's dropped and follows.


	2. Like Arbor Day

**Hope you like this! Lilo is kind of my favorite.**

**As always, I own nothing.**

* * *

Mary helps Nani set up for the reception after the funeral, quietly offering up her strength to bolster the young girl. Once the guests start to arrive, she slips outside and finds Lilo sitting on the back steps, looking miserable in her best black dress. Mary sits down next to her, primly ensuring that her midnight blue cotton skirt is smooth as she does. "Your sister could probably use your help," she suggests carefully.

"Nani doesn't need me. She doesn't need nobody," Lilo sulks.

"_Any_body," Mary corrects. "And that isn't true. Your sister loves you."

"She's no fun anymore. All she does is boring stuff. She won't even play with me."

"Nani has a lot to deal with right now and you must forgive her if she doesn't have a lot of time right now."

Lilo just sits with her face in her hands.

Mary stands and brushes off her hand on her skirt. "All right, come along," she orders. Lilo looks at her skeptically. "Spit spot!"

With those two words, Lilo scrambles to her feet. Mary leads her away, down the dirt road and away from the house. The house is filled with mourners and Nani won't miss them.

"Where are we going?" Lilo wants to know, all but running to keep up with Mary's quick strides.

"You'll see!" Mary trills and keeps walking. Eventually she stops to allow Lilo a moment of rest.

"You walk fast," Lilo pants. "You could be in the Olympics. Or a cheetah! You could fight monsters!"

There's a low chuckle from behind Mary. "Oh, if I know Mary Poppins, an' I do, those monsters would be off an' runnin' before she got a good look at 'em."

Mary turns, a grin spreading across her face. "Bert, _really_."

Bert returns her grin with a lopsided one of his own. He's wearing a blue, button-down shirt, rolled up to his elbows and khaki shorts. It's a far more casual look than Mary is used to seeing on him, but it works for him. He tips an imaginary hat. "'ello, Miss Poppins."

Mary feels a tug at her skirt and looks down. Lilo gestures for her to bend down, so she does. "Who's he?" the girl whispers.

Straightening up, Mary smiles. "Lilo, may I present my dearest friend, Herbert Alfred. Bert, this is Lilo Pelekai."

"Herbert's a funny name."

Bert shrugs and rewards the girl with a charming smile and a wink. "I'm a funny guy! But you can call me Bert, if you want."

"Bert's funny too."

"Lilo!" Mary scolds, her eyes widening.

"So where are we going?" Lilo asks, not looking repentant in the slightest.

"Going?" Bert asks. When Lilo isn't looking, he winks at her nanny.

"Mary Poppins is taking me somewhere but she won't tell me where. I hope they don't do human testing!"

Bert looks surprised by Lilo's statement—Mary has gotten used to the little girl's outlandish statements, but Bert hasn't had a chance to become accustomed. He recovers quite nicely though. "Well, if I'm not mistaken she's probably goin' t' take you off on some jolly 'oliday or other."

"Ooh, like Christmas?!" Lilo wants to know. "_No_! Like Fourth of July! _No!_ Like Arbor Day!"

Mary hides a laugh behind her hand. It's nice to see the girl so enthused about something.

"No, like a… a… well, it's an 'oliday!" Bert says, looking hopelessly at Mary as he fails to find a synonym.

"A vacation," she informs Lilo. "In London, where Bert and I are from, we call a vacation or a break a holiday."

"Oooooh. But where are we going to go? We live on an island!"

"You just leave it t' Mary," Bert grins. "She'll take you anywhere y' want." Suddenly he gets distracted by a stand with a rack of postcards for sale. "Why, look at this! Lilo, 'ow would y' like t' see th' pyramids in Egypt?"

Lilo makes a face and Bert quickly puts the card back. "'ow about th' jungle?"

"Noooooo…"

"Lilo, mind your manners," Mary chastises.

"Nooooooo… thank you," Lilo corrects. Then a postcard catches her eye; it houses a small cabin in a redwood forest. "Woah," she breathes. "Can we go there?"

"May, and I believe you forgot a word."

"May we _please_ go there?" Lilo asks.

"Give me your hands, please," Mary requests, holding out both her hands. Lilo's is barely big enough to wrap her fingers over the side of Mary's palm, but as Bert laces his fingers through hers, Mary realizes that their hands fit perfectly, as if the spaces between her fingers were designed to comfortably house his. The thought pleases her far more than it should and she feels her cheeks start to burn, so she directs her attention back to her charge. "Stand up straight, Lilo, don't slouch."

Within seconds, they are inside the postcard. Lilo immediately runs over to one of the trees and starts rubbing the bark. "It's _soft_!" she exclaims. She looks back at Mary and blinks in surprise. "You changed clothes."

That much is true; Mary's clothes have changed to suit the conditions, as they always do on her jolly holidays. She is feeling particularly daring and it's rather cool in the shade, so Mary is wearing dark jeans and a soft red sweater. A bright blue scarf twines its way about her neck. Lilo also has a red jacket and black stretch pants—to make it easy for her to move around and explore. Bert finds himself in a blue flannel shirt that matches Mary's scarf perfectly and makes his eyes just the tiniest bit brighter.

Mary feels a blush start to blossom on her cheeks when she feels Bert's eyes taking in her ensemble; the jeans and sweater are just a little tighter than anything she's ever worn around him.

"Mary, you look…"

"Be-a-utiful?" she finishes, mocking the drawn out, heavily accented way he usually finishes this sentence.

"Lovely," he corrects, his mouth slightly agape. Mary is certainly blushing now.

"Are you guys gonna kiss now? Cuz that's gross," Lilo asks loudly, breaking the tension with one little sentence.

"Of course not," Mary responds, slightly flustered. "Lilo, why don't you and I go for a walk while Bert gets some firewood?"

"Sick of me already?" Bert teases.

"Of course not. But we really do need firewood if we're ever to have hope of a campfire."

He grins. "Sounds like a good plan."

"Well, _of course_ it's a good plan! _I_ thought of it! Come along, Lilo."

Mary glances over her shoulder only once, but when she does, she catches Bert trying to look away before she sees him.


	3. A Wish For You

**So here's some more...**

**As always, I own nothing.**

* * *

_Mary glances over her shoulder only once, but when she does, she catches Bert trying to look away before she sees him._

"You like him, don't you?" Lilo wants to know.

"I- I beg your pardon?" Mary stammers.

"Bert. You like him. I can tell. You act like Nani around David. She really likes him; she thinks he has fancy hair. Bert's hair isn't that fancy but maybe you could talk to Nani about it."

"I don't think that's really any of your business!" exclaims Mary.

Lilo shrugs. "I'm five," she says by way of explanation.

Mary has to laugh at that, and that puts her at ease. "Bert and I… well, we care about each other a great deal, but… oh, it's complicated, Lilo."

"He's your ohana," the little girl asserts understandingly as she climbs over a log.

"Ohana?" Mary repeats slowly, turning the unfamiliar word over in her mouth.

"Ohana means family," Lilo recites. "And family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten."

"Where did you learn that?"

"That's what my dad always said. But he died."

Mary stops and kneels, putting her hands on Lilo's shoulders. "Sometimes things happen, things that don't make sense," she says quietly. "And it might feel as though nothing can ever be normal again. But they can, and they will; you just have to find a new normal. I know things seem hard right now, Lilo, but it will get easier. And yes, I suppose Bert is my ohana."

"My ohana's gone," Lilo whispers, tears welling up in her eyes.

"That isn't true," insists Mary. "You have Nani; she's very much your ohana. And, if you'd like, you can be a part of my ohana with Bert. We would love to have you."

It isn't an offer that Mary would usually make. In fact, it goes against everything she knows as a nanny. She is going to have to leave again and she shouldn't encourage attachment. But somehow the Hawaiian girl has already managed to endear herself to Mary.

Lilo nods and Mary breaks another one of her usual rules to give her a quick hug. "Now let's see about that bonfire, shall we?" Mary's eyes sparkle mischievously and Lilo's face becomes much brighter.

Bert looks up when the pair comes back into the clearing near the cabin. He's gotten a decent fire started and dragged a log near it so that they might have a place to sit. When he sees them, his face lights up with a goofy grin and he holds up a bag of marshmallows. "Lookit what I found!" he nearly sings.

Lilo screams and runs to him, chanting "S'mores!"

"Lilo!" scolds Mary. "Slow down!"

"I love s'mores!" she exclaims, completely ignoring her nanny and tackling Bert's leg.

"Figured you might," laughs Bert.

As Lilo happily roasts marshmallows, Bert comes to sit by Mary on a fallen tree. "So what's her story?" he asks, murmuring so that Lilo can't hear over the crackling of the fire.

"Her parents died in a car accident," Mary answers, watching Lilo carefully. "It's just her and her older sister now."

"Is there anythin' I can do t' 'elp?"

She turns and smiles at him; it isn't a sad smile exactly, but there is a trace of sadness in it. "Just keep being your usual wonderful self. Both girls could use a bit of love, but I think they'll be just fine."

"So 'ow long do we 'ave?"

"Until the wind changes, as usual." Mary tries to ignore the tired look in his eyes. She knows this constant leaving is starting to wear on him, but she doesn't know why. It's not as if it's new.

"An' 'ow long will that be?"

"A week, I should think."

"Not a lot of time."

"No, it isn't. But I've already seen incredible improvement. Really, I think we just need to see that the bond between Nani and Lilo is strong enough to withstand this."

"Well, if anybody can do it, it's you, Mary."

"A shooting star!" yells Lilo, startling both of them. "I have to make a wish!"

Mary and Bert both look upward as Lilo shuts her eyes tight. "Well, make a wish," prompts Bert.

"I don't need one," Mary replies. "But you should make one."

Bert screws up his face and rather dramatically makes his wish. "What did you wish for?" Mary asks.

"He can't tell that!" Lilo pipes up as Bert opens his mouth. "If he tells, it won't come true! Those are the rules."

He looks at Mary and shrugs. "Sorry, Mary. Looks like it's just goin' t' 'ave t' stay a secret."

Lilo sends a scolding look at Mary, as if to tell her that she should know better. Bert laughs. "Ooh, Mary, you're in _trouble_."

Mary glares at him, but she's found lately that her glares have less of an effect lately, at least on him. He just smiles.

"What if I don't tell 'er my wish, Lilo, but I tell 'er who it was about? Is that all right?"

Lilo thinks seriously for a moment. "I guess it's okay. But you can't tell her what!"

Bert grins. "I think I can do it."

"You were wishing about someone?" asks Mary. This has all become very odd very quickly.

"Not exactly. It was a wish for you, Mary. But I can't tell you what about." Bert glances over at the little girl. "She says so."

Mary frowns, wondering what on earth he could mean, but she doesn't press it. She's not one to tread in unfamiliar territory and there's a soft look hidden behind his teasing gaze that makes her nervous. "Lilo," she says, clearing her throat. "I do believe it's time for us to go. I'm afraid your sister will become worried if we don't."

"Five more minutes?" whines Lilo.

"Now, Lilo."

"Aw, Mary, what's th' 'arm?" Bert asks, sending her a lopsided grin.

Mary sighs. "Five more minutes, but not a _second _more. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yep!" cheers Lilo.

Mary fixes her gaze on her male companion. "As crystal," he grumbles, but the corners of his mouth twitch upward. That doesn't surprise her; a smile is never far from his lips.

Lilo runs around, working off some of the wild energy that has been pent up since the day of the accident. "She's lucky t' 'ave you, Mary Poppins," Bert comments.

"Oh, nonsense," Mary denies. "I'm simply doing what's required of me."

"Doesn't change th' good you're doin' for them, Mary."

"Well, thank you, Bert."

"I think I'm ready to go home now," Lilo announces. She twists a piece of hair in her hands and she looks down at the ground. "I want Nani."

"Well, then I suppose we best get back, don't you?" Mary replies.

Lilo tugs on Bert's sleeve and he looks down. She holds out her arms, asking to be carried. Without hesistation, he leans down and scoops her up easily. She throws her arms around him and rests her head on his shoulder. He kisses the top of her head and looks to Mary. She reaches out and places a hand on his shoulder and the redwoods give way to palm trees. The little girl is practically asleep in his arms. "I'll carry 'er," he offers when Mary goes to wake her so they can walk home. "She's not that 'eavy."

"If you're sure..."

"'s really no trouble at all, Mary. I don't mind."

"Thank you."

He carries Lilo with ease as they trek back up the dirt road in silence. There really just isn't anything that needs to be said. Only a few guest's cars still linger and Mary lets them into the house with a quiet click.

"There you are!" Nani exclaims when she sees them.

"We went for a small walk. Lilo needed the break, I'm afraid," Mary informs her. "Now, if you don't mind, I'll get Lilo ready for bed. It's been a long day."

"Oh, well... thank you," Nani says.

"My pleasure. Come along, Bert."


	4. Hawaii's Only Hope

**I'm so sorry this took so long and it's not even that good.**

**I own nothing**

* * *

Lilo is sound asleep in her bed when Mary and Bert leave her to her dreams. Mary shuts off the light and starts to leave the room but Bert stalls and so she turns around, her brow furrowed, only to find him crouched beside Lilo's bed. He smooths the little girl's hair and his hand is almost big enough to cover her head. "You're going to make it, Lilo," he whispers. "You're going to be all right. In fact, I think you're going to be amazing."

She shifts, turning towards Bert's voice. "You sleep well, love," Bert says before kissing her head and standing up to stretch. He looks back at Mary, who does her best to hide the stunned look on her face. "What is it?"

"N-nothing," Mary manages as she shuts the door quietly behind them. "I was just thinking."

"Oh? Important thoughts?"

"Bert, have you ever given any thought to children?"

His brow furrows at the non-sequitur. "What about them?"

"Well, do you… do you want them?" Mary is thankful the hallway is dark enough to hide her blush.

"More'n anything," he admits. "Why?"

"No reason." She doesn't want to admit it, but she can't help feeling slightly relieved at his answer. He's so wonderful with children it would be a shame if he didn't want his own. "Why haven't you ever…?"

"Had 'em?" Bert shrugs. "Just waiting for the right girl, I guess."

"I see." There's a dull ache in her chest that Mary shoves away. It feels too much like jealousy to be practically perfect and so she refuses to acknowledge it. But for just one moment there's a white hot fleeting thought—why wasn't she the right girl? Of course, that was a ridiculous thought because she doesn't _want _to be the right girl. She doesn't even want her own children!

"Well, I think I should be going," Bert says. "I'll see myself out."

"Bert."

He whips around immediately. "Yes, Mary?"

"Thank you for today. Lilo adored it."

He smiles. "She's a good kid. I'll see you later, Mary."

"Good night, Bert."

She sees him out the kitchen door and shuts it quietly. There's a glow coming from the living room and Mary goes to check on it. Nani sits on the couch with the tv on. She's looking it the general direction of the television but it's quite clear she's not seeing a thing.

Mary sits down beside her. At first Nani doesn't even acknowledge her presence but after a moment, she turns her head. "Have you eaten?" Mary asks. Nani shakes her head. "I'll fix you a tray."

She retreats to the kitchen, taking a deep breath as she did. The air in the living room feels heavy and still and has since she arrived. It's become Nani's station. Mary quickly warms a plate of the food brought by mourners and puts it on a tray. Nani looks up when she brings it out and mouths a thank you. Mary sits back down and watches her eat, making sure she eats a bite of everything. The girl needs to keep her strength up and Mary can tell by the way her clothes don't hang quite right that she's not been eating enough.

Under Mary's watchful eye she finishes almost everything on her plate, as though she's suddenly remembered to be hungry. Mary takes the tray and Nani looks up at her. "Thank you," she says quietly.

"Of course."

"You've been so helpful," Nani continues, clearly wanting to carry on the sentence to ask the one question Mary's charges nearly always ask.

"I shall stay until the tides change," Mary replies. Instinctively, she knows that this might just be too vague to the poor, lost girl in front of her and though Mary Poppins never explains anything, she makes an exception just this once. "As long as I'm useful."

Nani stares off into space, and Mary remembers that she's dealing with a girl not yet twenty-one, who's lost both parents, and now has a life to piece together. "What do I do?" Nani whispers. "What do I do now?"

"Well, in the morning," Mary responds, doing her best to sound efficient and knowledgeable, "you'll start to rebuild your life. But that can wait. Now…" Mary gently placed her hand on Nani's forehead, her fingertips just touching Nani's hairline. "Now, you sleep."

And with that, Mary snaps her fingers and allows the terrors and stresses in Nani's head to fall away, leaving the girl to a heavy and dreamless sleep.

0ooo0

Mary and Lilo stick around the house the next day, helping Nani to clean and get everything order. But it's the next morning that Mary sees an opportunity for a bit of mending.

Lilo comes into the living room. "Can we go swimming?"

"I don't know, can you?" Mary asks, looking up from the newspaper.

"Well, yeah," Lilo replies. "I know how. And it would be fun! Can we, Mary Poppins? Please?"

"Why don't you ask your sister? If she wants you home today, I won't contradict that."

"Nani, Nani, Nani!" Lilo yells, running through the house to Nani's room. Mary follows her. "Can we go swimming?"

"Sure," Nani says, not getting up from the bed.

"Why don't you join us?" Mary suggests gently. "Surely you can make some time in your schedule to swim with your sister."

Nani looks hesitant but Lilo jumps up on the bed. "Please, Nani! Please, please, please? We can bring Pudge a sandwich today too!"

"Oh, all right," she acquiesces and gets up. "Mary Poppins, do you have a swimsuit?"

"I'm sure I can rustle something up. Don't worry."

As the girls get ready, Mary rummages in her carpetbag. Sure enough, there's a high-necked one-piece swimsuit. She sighs and puts it on, though Mary truly detests being so exposed. To make herself feel better, she pulls on a long cover-up that covers her arms to her wrists and ends at her knees. She's still much more comfortable in the clothing from the past that covered her more thoroughly, but Mary is not one to dwell in the past. She adopts the fashion of the times as best she can and puts her own spin on it. It works for her.

When she's ready, she gathers the girls and they begin the trek down to the beach.

"Nani! Nani, wait!"

The Pelekai girls and Mary all turn. A rather handsome Hawaiian man is jogging after them. Lilo tugs Mary's skirt. "That's David. Nani likes him," she explains in a whisper.

"I do not, Lilo," Nani refutes. "David's just a good friend."

"I _see_," Mary says, hiding a smile. The blush in Nani's cheeks completely betrays her lie. Still, Mary doesn't push it. She understands that Nani must be feeling overwhelmed and perhaps it isn't the best time for any romantic entanglement.

David catches up and grins. "Hi," he says simply, slightly out of breath.

"Hi," Nani responds.

Finally he looks up and sees Mary. "Oh, uh… I don't think we've met?" He glances at Nani for confirmation that he's not just being forgetful.

"Oh. David, this is Mary Poppins. She knew my…"

"I went to school with their mother," Mary fills in quickly. "We were on our way to the beach. Would you care to join us?"

David looks at Nani. She nods and offers up a tiny smile, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "I'd love to! Let me just go grab my board!"

"David surfs!" Lilo exclaims.

"Surfs?" Mary turns the unfamiliar word over in her mouth.

"It's like skateboarding except not anything like skateboarding!"

Mary chuckles at that very helpful description. "I suppose I'll just have to see."

"We'll meet you?" Nani says to David.

"Sure thing! Oh, and Nani?"

"Yeah?"

"You look pretty today."

He gives her a cheeky smile and runs off before she can say anything else.

Before they can walk more than a block, Lilo is scooped up. "Guess 'oo?"

Mary turns quickly and finds Lilo couched happily in Bert's arms, her eyes covered. "Bert!"

"Well, when you're gonna spoil the surprise like that, what's even the point?" Bert let his hand fall from Lilo's eyes and she crows happily before flinging her arms around his neck.

"'ey, you," he laughs. Mary rolls her eyes.

"Nani, you remember Bert."

"Oh. Of course!"

"We're going to the beach and David's going to surf and you should come because I need somebody to build sand castles so I can stomp on them!" Lilo announces.

Bert looks up at Mary. "Yes, Bert, why don't you come with us?" she suggests. She always loves spending time with him. "Only if you have the time, of course. I wouldn't want to keep you from anywhere you need to be."

"Bert doesn't have to go anywhere!" Lilo insists. "I mean except to the beach to battle sea monsters."

"_Sea monsters_?!" Bert exclaims.

"You're Hawaii's only hope!"

"Well, seems I'm going to the beach!"

Mary rolls her eyes when he smiles at her but the corners of her mouth quirk upward in response. He juts out an elbow and nods down, clearly offering it to be taken. She shakes her head in response.

Lilo struggles out of Bert's hold and the second she's on the ground, she takes Mary and Bert's hand and places them firmly together. "Ohanas hold hands," she says. "I'm going to hold Nani's hand so you can hold each others' hands."

"Oh no, Lilo, that's not-" Bert starts to deny, pulling his hand away from Mary's. "We aren't-"

Lilo's bottom lip trembles.

"Oh for God's sake, Bert, it's just my hand," Mary sighs and takes his hand again. "It isn't as though I have some contagious disease."

"Except maybe cooties!" Lilo exclaims. "But that's okay. Ohanas can't get cooties."

"See?" Mary says, trying not to laugh.

"I…" Bert starts to protest but then looks down at their entwined hands and the way her fair skin looks even fairer against his. "Well, what are we waiting for?"

They walk hand in hand for the rest of the way, while Lilo tugs on her sister's arm like an excitable puppy on a leash.


End file.
